Olloclip Intro and Pro Lenses with Multi-Device Clip first take: Affordable and advanced lens options with a universal smartphone clip

Olloclip offers a number of add-on lenses for Apple iPhones and with the Multi-Device clip you can now use all of its lenses with a number of smartphones. The Intro Lens offers an entry level option with two of the most popular lens modes in a single lens while the two Pro series lenses take your smartphone camera experience to the next level.

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Earlier this year, Olloclip released the Connect X system that supported mounting two lenses on the corner of the Apple iPhone X. Olloclip recently released lens mounting solutions for iPhone SE, 7/7 Plus, and 8/8 Plus and with the Multi-Device clip we can now use Connect X lenses with many popular Android smartphones.

Smartphones today help you capture fantastic images and video, but these thin phones also have physical limitations for camera lenses. Thus, third party add-on lenses extend and enhance the functionality of modern smartphones and help you get even more creative than you can with just the phone alone.

Olloclip released a new affordable Intro Lens that provides the two most popular lens configurations, wide-angle and macro, in one lens. In addition, two Pro Series Connect X lenses, super wide and telephoto, were also announced. All of these lenses work with Connect X mounts and the new Multi-Device Clip.

Multi-Device Clip

At first I was sent a pre-production sample to start evaluating and after a couple weeks of use the clip kept binding up and would not clamp down on my phones. A release version of the Multi-Device Clip was sent out last week and is significantly improved with flawless open and close performance. It was interesting to see the evolution of the product and gives me confidence that Olloclip designed and tested the clip to work to your satisfaction.

Todd Williams, global sales director at Olloclip, stated:

The Multi-Device Clip is unlike any product on the market. It remains our goal at olloclip to continually enhance consumer's mobile photography experience through the most compact, accurate and easy-to-use products. We designed the Multi-Device Clip to serve the greatest range of smartphones, including those with a screen protector or a thin case, for ultimate versatility.

While having corner mounts for various iPhone models may offer an optimized experience, being able to use the Olloclip Connect X lenses on various smartphones significantly improves the value of purchasing individual lenses.

The lens mounting system works by pressing in on a button to spread the clamp open. You then line up the lens opening with the phone camera opening that you want to use with the lens. Many phones today have multiple cameras and the great thing about this new Multi-Device system is that you can move the clip around and line up your Connect X lens with different front and rear cameras.

Lenses can be mounted in either direction in the opening of the clamp so you can insert it either way to ensure the lens fits properly over your desired camera. Slide the large button in towards the lens to move the spring and release the tab on one side to then lift out the lens. Lens caps are included with each lens to help protect it as well.

I've had success using the Multi-Device Clip with the iPhone XR and Pixel 3 XL. Some phones have cameras too far away from the edges or have a number of lenses that make it difficult to line up the Olloclip lenses properly. One thing I noticed with the heavier Pro Series is that the lens can slide down a bit if mounted in a way where gravity takes over. The Multi-Device Clip is a reasonably priced, $19.99, solution for many smartphones, but I prefer using the Connect X system designed specifically for corner mounting as it lines up perfectly and is the most secure solution.

Connect X Intro Lens

The Connect X lens system is Olloclip's lens offering that works with a number of phones and provides Olloclip's newest lens technology and quality. The new Intro Lens provides both a wide-angle and 15x macro lens in one for just $19.99. You can also purchase it with the Multi-Device clip for a $39.95 price.

The wide-angle lens is mounted on the clip attachment when you open the retail package. Unscrew the wide-angle lens to reveal the 15x macro lens. This is the first Olloclip lens that offers this combination and these are the two most popular lenses I use with my phones.

The Intro Lens has slightly more distortion than the Essential Series Super Wide lens with a price less than half that lens. Olloclip states that this lens provides more of a photographic effect. I compared this Intro Lens with the Super Wide lens and saw very similar results between the two.

The macro functionality provided by these add-on lenses helps produce some interesting results. I've been experimenting more with this Intro Lens macro functionality and the Fisheye/Macro lens. Both provide the same 15x macro performance and you can capture some very cool close-ups. You need to hold your phone with the lens within about an inch of your subject so this lens is primarily for extreme close-up encounters with your subject.

Connect X Pro Series Lenses

Just a day before a vacation, Olloclip sent along its two newest Pro Series lenses, super wide and telephoto. The Pro Series super wide lens offers a wider field of view with the least amount of distortion of any Olloclip lens. It is available for $99.99 or $119.95 with any Olloclip Connect X attachment clips.

The Pro telephoto lense offers the same 2x magnification of the previous Olloclip telephoto lens, but gathers more light for a brighter photograph. It is priced the same as the super wide Pro Series lens.

I brought these three new lenses with me on vacation in order to test them out so will update this article in the future with more results and samples of photographs taken with the lenses and various phones.

Previous and related coverage:

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was just announced and we expect three new iPhones and two Google Pixel phones to launch soon. Now is the time to consider selling your current one before market prices drop or plan to participate in a trade-in program.

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